Gaseous electric lamp or sign



June 24, 1941. c J SHARPE 2,247,160

GASEOUS ELECTRIC LAMP 6R SIGN Filed May 13, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Sharpe June 24-, 1941. c SHARPE GASEOUS ELECTRIC LAMP 0R SIGN s Sheds-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1939 615/0 6 6 halfwa Q 3? June 24, 1941. c, J SHARPE GASEOUS ELECTRIC LAMP OR SIGN Filed May 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 6 J1 Sharpe,

Patented June 24, 1941 UNITED STATES QFFECE This invention relates to gaseous electric lamps or signs, such as neon or like lamps or signs, and more particularly to lamps or signs which are suspended from the ceiling or wall of a building.

An object of the present invention is to construct a gaseous electric lamp or sign of the suspended type in which a luminous tube is cartried by a horizontal supporting plate which also supports the electrical transformer and which carries a central upstanding tubular member having means extended therethrough for connecting the transformer with a source of electricity.

Another object of the present invention is to construct a suspended gaseous electric lamp or sign which is economical to manufacture, pleasing in appearance, and light in weight.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of one form of lamp constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the lamp:

shown in Figure 1, drawn on a smaller scale.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view thereof with the transformer-housing globe removed.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1 and drawn on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of another form of lamp constructed in accordance with the present invention and constituting a sign.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectionon line 6-45 V of Figure 5. g l

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of still'another form of lamp constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 8 is a central longitudinal section of l the lamp shown in Figure 7, taken substantially on line 8-8 of the latter figure.

Figure 9 is a transverse section on line 9-9 of Figure 5; and

Figure 10 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 2, partly broken away, illustrating a modification of the type of lamp shown in said Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the present invention relates to a gaseous electric lamp or sign of the suspended type including a horizontal supporting plate 5 carrying the luminous tube or tubes 6 and also having the transformer or transformers I mounted thereon, a hollow member 8 being rigid with and rising centrally from the supporting plate 5 and having means 9 extended upwardly therethrough to facilitate connection of the transformer or transformers l with a source of electricity. This means 9 may consist of a threaded or other attachment plug mounted in the top of the hollow member I! as shown in Figures 2, 4, 5 and 8 and connected by wires [0 with the transformer or transformers. However, the wires [0 may be extended through the top of the hollow member 8 and extended a considerable distance therefrom with'an attachment plug on the outer ends thereof for connection with a remote outlet receptacle when an outlet receptacle is not available or arranged at the particular point where the lamp or sign is to be suspended. In the latter case, the plug 9 is simply directly engaged in the outlet receptacle as indicated at I l in Figure 2. Further, the

hollow member 8 may consist of an elongated hollow arm or tube adapted for connection at its upper or outer end with the ceiling or wall of a building as generally indicated at [2 in Figure 10, where an outlet box is provided in said ceiling or wall, the wires l0 being extended through the member 8 and connected to terminals in said outlet box in a generally well known manner. In the latter case illustrated in Figure 10, the tubular member 8 may be rigidly fastened as at l3 to the supporting plate 5 at its lower end, thus constituting the means for suspending the lamp or sign. The hollow member 8 may be formed integral with or rigidly secured to the plate 5 by bolting, riveting, welding, or the like.

In the embodiments of Figures 1 to 4 inclusive and 10, the supporting plate 5 is in the form of a circular disk of metal, and there are two luminous tubes 6 disposed in concentric relation to each other and in surrounding relation to said plate 5, the ends of the luminous tubes being upwardly offset as at l 4 and then directed downwardly through the plate 5 for connection with the transformers 1 as at I5. The tubes 5 are sustained in this relation to the plate 5 by means of brackets I6 having their outer ends clamped to the tubes 6 as at H and having their inner ends bolted as at it to the plate 5. The transformers l in these embodiments are suspended and insulated from the plate 5 centrally of the latter as at 19, and said transformers are housed by a globe or bowl 20 whose open top surrounds the edge of plate 5 between the latter and the tubes 6. The brackets it have upwardly ofiset intermediate portions 20 to provide clearance for the upper edge portion of globe or bowl 20, and

the latter is retained in place by means of set screws 2| (Figure 2) threaded through certain of the brackets l6 and impinging the sides of the bowl or globe 2i] beneath an external bead 22 provided on the upper edge of said bowl or globe. This type of fastening or mounting for the bowl or globe is well known in the art of illumination, and the globe or bowl 20 may be made of frosted glass or the like so as to reflect and soften the light rays from the luminous tubes 6 to produce a non-glaring light, the color of which will depend upon the nature of the luminous tubes 6 and the gas contained therein. In order to suspend the fixture thus described and shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, so that the weight thereof will not be imposed upon the plug 9, eye members 23 are bolted to the plate 5 in surrounding relation to the bottom of the hollow member 8, and suspension rods 24 or the like are connected to these eyes and adapted for connection with the ceiling as at 25. An ornamental plate 26 may be bolted as at 2'! to the lower central portion of the globe or bowl 20 for ornamental purposes.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 to 9 inelusive, the horizontal supporting plate 5 is of elongated substantially rectangular form with the margin thereof downturned as at 28 so as to form a hood under which the luminous tube 6 is mounted as at 29, the ends of said luminous tube being connected by wires 29a with the transformer 1 which is mounted upon a bracket 30 secured across the central portion of the plate 5. The wires 28w areextended through conduits 29b mounted at 29 under the hood. In the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, the luminous tube 6 is vertically arranged and has the intermediate portion thereof in the form of letters 3| to provide a sign. On the other hand, the luminous tube 6 of Figures '7 and 8 is in the form of a horizontal elongated loop so as to provide a lamp for illuminating purposes, the rays from the tube being reflected by the plate 5 in a downward direction. "In the forms of Figures 5 and 7, the ends of the plate 5 have eye members 23 to which suspension rods or chains may be connected to sustain the weight of the lamp or sign when suspended from a ceiling er overhead support.

From the above description, it will be seen that I have provided an improved lamp or sign of the character described which is economical to manufacture, pleasing in appearance, light in weight, and otherwise 'Well adapted for successful commercial use. Except for the embodiment of Figure 10, the invention provides a lamp for use in the place of ordinary electric light bulbs which is readily detachable and adapted for use as a sign or for mere illumination. The fixture will be economical in current consumption and will give a non-glaring light of the desired color.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a gaseous electric lamp or sign of the suspended type, a horizontal supporting plate, a luminous tube carried by said supporting plate, a transformer carried by and arranged directly beneath the supporting plate centrally of the latter, the ends of said luminous tube terminating near the transformer beneath said supporting plate, a hollow member rigid with and rising centrally from the supporting plate, an attachment plug mounted in and projecting upwardly from the top of said hollow member and adapted to engage in an outlet receptacle to support the lamp or sign and derive the current for said luminous tube, and conductor wires connecting said attachment plug with the transformer.

2. In a gaseous electric lamp or sign of the suspended type, a horizontal supporting plate, a luminous tube carried by said supporting plate, a transformer carried by and arranged beneath the supporting plate centrally of .the latter, the ends of said luminous tube terminating near the transformer beneath said supporting plate,

a hollow member rigid with and rising centrally from the supporting plate, means extended upwardly through said hollow member for connecting the transformer with a source of electricity, said luminous tube being arranged in surrounding relation to said supporting plate and having upwardly offset ends provided with terminal portions extending downwardly through the supporting plate for connection with the transformer, brackets mounting said luminous tube on said supporting plate and provided with upwardly offset portions, and a globe housing said transformer and removably secured in place with its upper edge portion in surrounding relation to the supporting plate and within the upwardly offset portions of said brackets and said ends of the luminous tube.

3. In a gaseous electric lamp or sign of the suspended type, a horizontal supporting plate, a luminous tube carried by said supporting plate, a transformer carried by and arranged beneath the supporting plate centrally of the latter, the ends of said luminous tube terminating near the transformer beneath said supporting plate, a hollow member rigid with and rising centrally from the supporting plate, means extended upwardly through said hollow member for connecting the transformer with a source of electricity, said supporting plate being of elongated form and having the margin thereof downturned to provide a hood, means mounting the luminous tube beneath said supporting plate, and a bracket secured across the intermediate portion of the supporting plate and having the transformer mounted thereon.

CLYDE J. SHARPE. 

